Karnataka CEO rejects report that Bharat Ratna scientist C.N.R. Rao was served an SIR notice, saying no notice was issued to Rao or his family.
September 9:
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, has categorically denied media reports claiming that Bharat Ratna awardee and eminent scientist Professor C.N.R. Rao was served a notice over a mismatch in his name in the electoral roll.
The controversy followed a newspaper report headlined, “SIR: Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao served notice over name mismatch.” Election officials said the report was factually incorrect, stressing that no notice was issued to Professor Rao or any member of his family.
Professor C.N.R. Rao is registered as a voter in Part No. 59 of the 157-Malleswaram Assembly constituency. During the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, officials identified a discrepancy between his entry in the current draft electoral roll, recorded as “Proff C.N.R. Rao S/O Nagesh Rav. H”, and the 2002 electoral roll, where the corresponding entry appeared as “Rama S/O H. Nagesh.”
The Election Office said the discrepancy prompted verification as part of the SIR process, but did not result in the issuance of any formal notice to Rao.
Given Rao’s stature and his contribution to the country, senior election officials—including the State SVEEP Nodal Officer, Commissioner of the Bengaluru West City Corporation, the Malleswaram Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and the local Booth Level Officer (BLO)—personally visited his residence to deliver the enumeration form.
Officials said the BLO subsequently recommended the electoral record directly to the Additional Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) for approval. The AERO approved the entry for inclusion in the final electoral roll on September 8, 2026.
The Malleswaram ERO has also issued a formal statement clarifying the sequence of events. In addition, video documentation recorded by the local BLO has been released by the Election Office to establish that no notice was served on Professor Rao and to rebut the earlier media report.
No Notice Served to Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao Over Voter List Discrepancy, Clarifies Election Commission
Bengaluru
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer has categorically denied media reports claiming that #BharatRatna awardee and eminent scientist Professor C.N.R. Rao was… pic.twitter.com/BhTvEiMZWB
— Yasir Mushtaq (@path2shah) September 9, 2026
What is the Special Intensive Revision?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a comprehensive exercise undertaken by the Election Commission to verify and update electoral rolls. It involves checking existing voter records, distributing enumeration forms, verifying voter details and identifying discrepancies or entries requiring further scrutiny.
During the exercise, Booth Level Officers verify electoral information, including the identity and particulars of voters and their linkage with earlier electoral records. Where discrepancies are detected, the concerned electoral authorities examine the records and take appropriate action under the prescribed procedure.
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Importantly, a discrepancy or mismatch in a voter’s name does not by itself mean that the voter is ineligible or that his or her name will be deleted. Such cases are subject to verification and decision by the competent electoral authority.
The Karnataka CEO’s clarification in the Rao case underlines the distinction between an entry being flagged for verification during SIR and a formal notice being issued to the voter.
